The most rewarding days at work invariably are those days when I seize opportunities to speak about Christ. And yesterday was one of those days when the Holy Spirit used me and my courage did not falter.
I walked into M-’s room at 7:50 AM and immediately noticed she was wiping away tears. After introducing myself, I asked in Spanish, “Is everything okay?” “Si…,” and then she burst into fresh tears. “I’m just so sad…about my baby!” You see, her baby was 33 weeks when she delivered, and he was being cared for in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “My aunt tells me it’s my fault that my baby came early!”
I listened to her a bit more and then explained that it was not her fault. Indeed, her baby was in God’s hands, and He had reasons for this. I prayed with her and then went out to search for a Bible in Spanish.
I returned with a Nuevo Testamento and sat with M- to read from Philippians 4:6-8. “M-, the Bible says not to be anxious but to present all our requests to God,” I said. “His peace will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. And it also commands us to think about what is true and good. It is not true that it is your fault that the baby was born. But it is true that God is good. We are not good, but because of Jesus Christ dying for us, God forgives us of our sins and allows us to be with Him.”
She told me that she didn’t read the Bible and wasn’t a very faithful person, but she asked, “It’s never too late, is it?” I smiled, “Oh no, it’s never too late to begin.” I left the Bible with her.
Later that day, there was a new catastrophe. She called her live-in boyfriend to come fill out paternity papers and to pick her up to take her home. He told her that he didn’t care about the birth certificate and was not coming to pick her up. I walked into the room and saw her head buried in her hands. “He doesn’t care about me,” she lamented. I thought that was probably true but did not say so. The thought made me angry and sick to my stomach.
“M-, you must think carefully about this man and about how to obey God. You see, God wants what is good for us. He made marriage to be good, and it brings security to a relationship. But your boyfriend doesn’t seem to understand how to be responsible or how to love you well. So think carefully.”
M- pointed to the Bible and asked, “This belongs to the hospital, doesn’t it?” I said yes, and she said that she would go out and buy one. Later Sarah told me that we can give them to patients who need them. So, I returned to the room to say that she could take the New Testament home with her. Her face lit up with joy, and she thanked me several times!
Only God knows how these short 12 hours will affect M- for eternity. But all praise be to Him for using my broken Spanish to point this woman to Him!
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